WARNING Signs

An eating disorder can be deadly. Someone with a disorder might not tell you they have one. So how will you know?

7 common warning signs:

1. Drastic change in eating habits- when a person has an eating disorder they will have adnormal eating habbits. When someone stops eating a food they once loved then that can be a sign. The person will rarely or never eat or not eat in front of others. Finding an excuse such as " im not hungry" or " i already ate" and the list goes on with excuses. Also look for use of laxatives or other things for weight loss.
2. Bad body image (the way they view themselves)- A body image is the way a person wants to be viewed by others. Having a bad body image would bring on self-doubt in ones apperance. This can cause a person to constantly want to lose weight. This person might wear beggy clothes to cover themselves up to the world. They will often spend alot of time in front of a mirror or obsessing over everything wrong with their body. Key places they will pick out are thier stomach, butt, and thighs.
3. Exercise behaviors- Compulsive exercising, and if the person never works out then starts working out harshly is a sign. The person will usually also be tired from an unhealthy diet along with the workouts.
4. Thoughts and Beliefs- An eating disorder is psychological as well as physical. They have ideas such as " being skinny will make me feel good about myself."Having obsessions over thin people is also a sign. They might envy a thin person. Another sign is that some people feel they do not deserve to enjoy thier food and will eat thigs they do not like or not enough.
5. Emotional and Psycological- Denying their own feelings is another trait of someone with an eating disorder. They have trouble discussing the way they feel about something. Having mood swings are not uncommon. Things can trigger strong emotions and possibly lead to tantrums or withdraws. This may be because they often feel inadequate, depressed, anxious, and lonely. Overwhelming emptiness, hopelessness, and dispair make it difficult to function a normal level of interaction.
6. Self injury/ Self harm- self injury meaning cutting or burning flesh, banging or slapping against other objects and even swalloing foreign objects. Usually the objective is not suicide.
7. Social Behaviors- They will withdraw themselves as much as possible. Also when it somes to dinning they get controlling on where to eat and food choices. Sometimes they swing from being very needy, dependent or very independent. They tend to make regrettable choices about there sex lives, stealing, lying, career paths and everything that has an impact on their future.

"7 warning signs of an eating disorder."Casapalmera.Casa Palmera, 2009.Web.17.March 2011